Robert Mooney

Secretary Babbitt congratulates Billy Causey, superintendent, Florida Key National Marine Sanctuary (Secretary's hand is on his shoulder). To Causey's right is Gene Shinn, a USGS marine geologist; to Causey's left are Mike Collins, chairman, Board of Directors, South Florida Water Management District; Trevor Campbell, deputy executive director, South Florida Water Management District; and J. Allison DeFoor, II, coordinator for Environmental Policy, Executive Office of the Governor. Visit http://sofia.usgs.gov/sfrsf for more on the science forum.

The South Florida Restoration Science Forum, which was aimed at improving the flow of information between managers and scientists, brought together more than 200 scientists and nearly 100 displays and resource management exhibits. It was the first time that the numerous national, state, tribal, regional, and local governmental agencies collectively showed the science behind their collaborative restoration efforts in south Florida. More than 70 organizations participated. The forum also afforded a unique opportunity for elected officials, other policy- and decision-makers, and the public to learn about the most significant restoration science and management efforts. Organized by the South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Task Force through its Science Coordination Team, the event drew more than 500 participants to the Embassy Suites Hotel in Boca Raton, May 17-19. Secretary Babbitt provided the opening remarks. The lobby and first three floors of the hotel, including guest rooms, were filled with exhibits. Each room addressed a resource management issue.

"This type of a forum has never been done down here before on this scale," noted Dick Ring, superintendent of Everglades National Park. "I think it has been an outstanding effort. We should keep it going if not every year, then every other year because we need this."

From left, Michael Davis, the deputy assistant secretary for Civil Works, U.S. Army, whose hand rests on the Corps of Engineers' Restudy recommendations, talks with Nanciann Regalado, coordinator for Restoration Policy and Outreach, and Stuart Appelbaum, chief of Ecosystem Restoration for the Corps of Engineers' Jacksonville Office.

"You could visit and learn about nearly every facet of scientific research - from Panther tracking to looking at Periphyton algae through a microscope," said Truman Eugene "Gene" Duncan, director of Water Resources for the Miccosukee Tribe. "Actual researchers were on hand in each room to answer questions of the managers. In my opinion, the very fact that the researchers were able to talk one-on-one with the managers accomplished the goal of improving the linkage between science and resource management."

Because the south Florida ecosystem, which extends from the Kissimmee River to the coral reefs off the Florida Keys, is one of the most complex systems in the world, the science forum helped participants better understand how the ecosystem functions. "If there was ever any question about the connectivity of the ecology, hydrology, and geology of the ecosystem, the forum provided the answers to many of the complex questions in my mind," said Billy D. Causey, superintendent of Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.

Secretary Babbitt and Sam Hamilton, the director of the Fish and Wildlife Service's Southeast Region, shake hands after signing the Multi-Species Recovery Plan for South Florida at the Restoration Science Forum.

"As important as science is to the restoration, science that isn't communicated to decision-makers has limited usefulness," noted Dr. Bonnie A. McGregor, the USGS associate director for programs. "The forum helped to transmit and communicate the science that has resulted from the efforts of all of the science activities to managers. It was a manifestation of the close collaboration that exists among the many agencies of the South Florida Restoration Task Force, Working Group, and Science Coordination Team."

The USGS was especially grateful for the presence of members of the south Florida resource management community. "Their feedback to scientists about the uncertainties that confront them everyday, and the special problems they face in restoring south Florida over the long term is important in determining the scientific program for the future," McGregor said.

"Hopefully some doors were opened here between the managers and the scientists that will never close again," reflected Col. Joe R. Miller, Jacksonville District Engineer for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. "Next time, I will have more of my staff present and I will encourage scientists and engineers from around the entire Corps of Engineers to participate."

Bob Mooney, USGS, developed and coordinated the forum. The primary sponsors were the USGS, the South Florida Water Management District, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The co-chairs for the forum were Aaron Higer, USGS, and Nick Aumen, South Florida Water Management District.